September 2022 Newsletter
Fall is near!
With Great Respect,
We pay tribute to the creation of our nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership….The American Workers!!!
Back to school time for our kids!
And ….We are getting much closer to Fall! WOOHOO!
Upcoming September Holiday
DiagnosTEX will be closed on Labor Day, Monday, September 5.
Please consider this when scheduling your studies. We will operate Tuesday – Friday that week.
This Labor Day, we would like to give a shout out to our office staff, SLP’s, Techs, and MDs. Thank you for all you do and the quality in which you do it! The road to success is through commitment. Thank you for your commitment to DiagnosTEX, our customers and our patients, allowing us to endure the first half of 2020 into 2021 by continuing to provide the care needed to those who needed us!
Veronica Macias, Landon Matcham, Lori Boucher, Bryant Philp, Roy Turner, Kelli Mikkleson, Augie Falbo, Charlotte Rice, Nicole Kindred, Grady Murphy, Katie Dusold, Colt Hobbs, Ashlea Good, Rebecca Morrison, Charles Railsback, Kari Welling, Angel Negron, Steven Shilling, Kelly Sullivan, Steve Morrell, Ronda Polansky, Pam Ragland
September 2022 CEU Opportunity in the AC
Deciphering Dysphagia with Ampcare’s ESP™ (Effective Swallowing Protocol)
On-Demand + Zoom Webinar Tuesday & Wednesday, September 20-21, 2022 3-5 pm CT (4-6 pm ET) *8 Hours Advanced ASHA CE
Dysphagia in the details
The relative risk of pneumonia is 6-fold for those greater than 75 years compared to those under 65. Those living in care homes are 33 times as likely to be admitted to hospital with a pneumonia compared to those living in the community. Oral health is an important factor in the occurrence of pneumonia. With poor dental care and the presence of dentures, not only is mastication less effective, the risk of oral infection with anaerobes and yeast is quite high. Keeping the mouth clean, particularly in the most dependent people will reduce the risk of infection. Other simple measures include: review medication, stop anything that may worsen the ability to swallow (drugs causing a dry mouth; drowsiness etc), check dental plates for infection; check positioning and if appropriate, how people are fed. When dysphagia is suspected a referral should be made to a speech and language therapist for a full assessment of swallowing, clinically initially and later!
Smithard DG, Dysphagia: A Geriatric Giant?.Med Clin Rev. 2016, 2:5. doi: 10.21767/2471-299X.1000014
Dysphagia cookbooks – There is no need for bland diets for those with dysphagia!
Food for People Who Can’t Swallow Is the Ultimate Culinary Challenge
What do you get when a dentist, a chef, and people with dysphagia walk into a lab? Savorease, a self-dissolving cracker that may help millions of people enjoy solid food again. For the more than 10 million American adults who have trouble swallowing, the average supermarket might as well be a barren wasteland. These savory little crisps that are tough enough to scoop a dip but have been engineered to melt fully in the mouth, even without the assistance of teeth, normal tongue function, or saliva. Savorease comes in foil pouches in three flavors: carrot, chicken vegetable, or snap pea, with accompanying easy-to-swallow dips. Combined with the dip, each serving delivers about 200 calories and 8 grams of protein. When popped into the mouth, the light, crispy crackers deliver a hit of umami before they dissolve into purée and quickly clear from the palate. They sell online for $2 to $4 per bag of about 25 crisps through her company, Taste For Life LLC. Most of the initial sales have occurred during the pandemic.
Start a dysphagia support group for patients and families
Support groups are a meaningful way to bring together a group of people with similar issues to share experiences, hope, and community. While not everyone wants or needs support beyond that offered by family, friends, and their medical team, some may find it helpful to turn to others outside of their immediate circle. A dysphagia support group can help those impacted by swallowing disorders cope better and feel less isolated by making connections with others facing similar challenges. While support groups shouldn’t replace standard medical care, they can serve as a valuable additional resource. This TAD Talk, presented by leaders of the NFOSD Virtual Dysphagia Support Group Program, will discuss the logistics of establishing a support group and the benefits of joining a support group community from the patient perspective. This presentation is geared towards healthcare professionals interested in learning more about support groups and towards people impacted by swallowing disorders. FREE to join!
Making Dysphagia Easier to Swallow: How to Launch a Support Group
by Jan Pryor, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S & Sonia Blue, MA, MFT
Wednesday, September 21 at 4pm Pacific TAD talks. https://swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/tad-talk-supporting-people-with-dysphagia/